University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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Artist Duncan McClellan of Tampa, Fla. demon- strates the importance of a gentle touch as he carefully sets down a blown glass bowl. All of the work dis- played at the Art Fair was handmade, resulting in one- of-a-kind pieces. Peter Qilleran of Birming- ham was one of 20 art- ists who demonstrated his craft in addition to selling his work. Qilleran ' s booth was located on the corner of South University and Washtenaw avenues. Layout by Lisa Harty 324 Special Events

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V N X S Michelle Rae DIFFERENCES North Campus : Vera Baits STORY BY DOUG STEELE Sandwiched between Bursley, a primarily first-year student dorm, and Northwood, married student housing, Vera Baits distinguished itself with its mostly senior and graduate student population. Situated on the hill area of North Campus, the complex was comprised of two sets of five buildings. Geared to meet the specific needs of its older residents, kitchenettes were located throughout the dormitories rather than cafeterias. If a resident elected not to cook, he or she had the opportunity to purchase a meal plan to eat at any of the other dorms. Baits was also unusual in the way rooms were set up. Rather than the tradi- tional two- or three-occu- pant rooms, Baits offered suites, each with its own bathroom. Foreign students com- prised a considerable por- tion of the residents in Baits. In response, the staff went to great lengths After a long night of studying, Dae Rak Kim to help these students in watches a television program in his room. their transition to a new country and university. The people helped me in understanding not only the school but also the country, said engineering major Amrai Nushon. An added bonus of Baits housing was the possibility of winning a parking space in the annual lottery. This was especially important to the large number of upperclassmen and graduate students, who often needed cars to go to work or to get to central campus. The availability of parking saved lucky residents from the hassles of finding parking spaces on campus as well as the expense of finding off-campus spots. Known for its quiet setting and friendly people, Baits allowed residents the freedom of living on one ' s own along with the amenities of dorm living. It was an ideal place for students to accomplish their scholarly goals and to socialize with their colleagues. Residence Halls 323

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Michelle Rae : nn Arbor hosted a variety of speakers and activi- ties, but only one event could boast that it at- tracted half a million visitors and spanned 22 city locks. The 36th annual Ann Arbor Art Fair did that. It was packed you could barely walk through the treets! said senior graphic design major Vicki Berger. We vere so hot and tired by the end of the day, but we still went ut again the next day to see more. The event was composed of three fairs that ran simulta- icously: the Ann Arbor Street Fair, the State Street Art Fair, nd the Summer Art Fair. Over 1,000 exhibitors from round the U.S. showed paintings, ceramics, glass, photogra- hy, jewelry, sculpture and even computer generated art. ixty-six artists were new to the fair this year. College tudents also participated by displaying their work for pur- hase on East University Avenue. I didn ' t really know what to expect, said Berger, who ame back to Ann Arbor from New York specifically to ttend the event. I was shocked. There was so much to see. Everything was so nice and so expensive. It was very profes- ional. It was easy to see why the fair attracts so many people. Artist demonstrations were held at 20 different booths. Bagpipe musician Avery Groves of Charlottes- ville, Va. entertains passers- by. Over half a million people attended the Art Fair, which was held in July. Dur- ing the five-day event, visi- tors had the opportunity to purchase original works. The Art Fair would not be complete without musi- cal entertainment, provided here by Khenany, a band hailing from Tucson, Ariz. The group performed tradi- tional music of the Andes under a tree at the edge of the Diag. Families also created their own artwork in the Imagination Station, a free art activity center on the corner of Liberty and Fifth streets. The fair brought national recognition and business to the town and its stores. Local merchants held sidewalk sales adjacent to art booths to attract customers. Restaurants also profited from the heavy traffic. It gets extremely busy. It ' s almost like being next to Cedar Point, said Tony Bonino, manager of Good Time Charley ' s on South University Av- enue. We have to do things much faster. A lot more goes into food preparation. But it ' s fun and we get to meet a lot of the artists too. The fair, which supported the South University Mer- chants Association, art scholarships, and art for public build- ings, was rated the number one fine craft show in the nation by Sunshine Artist magazine. We set the date for the 1 996 Art Fair before the 1995 Art Fair even happened. It involves continuous planning and gets busier and busier as we get closer, said executive director Susan Froelich. What is satisfying though, is that the fair is well-known and positive for Ann Arbor while supporting the visual arts in this coun- Story by Lynn Kayner Special Events 325